Establish A Steady Yoga Practice – Expect Nothing, Accept Everything

Remember, there is a natural ebb and flow to everyone’s practice. B.K.S. Iyengar said, “a yoga practice waxes and wanes like the moon. Sometimes our work is bright and shiny, like the full moon, while at other times it feels dark as when the moon is new. Realize that the cycle of yoga practice is not 24 hours, weekly or even monthly but spread out over a lifetime.”

As you plan your practice this week, give yourself permission to ride with the tide. You may have a pattern of energy and strength one day and then you may need to drift closer to the shore and rest on the beach for the next day or so. Don’t be too hard on yourself as you commit to this daily routine.

It is best to take a neutral attitude toward what happens not only on your mat but in your day to day living. Lately, I live by the motto, expect nothing but accept everything.

In general, be mindful of the rises and the recessions but still continue onward.

There is a Zen proverb that states, “Live like the lotus, at home in the muddy water.” When I first heard this saying, I equated it to simply being content with where I was planted. But, when I apply it to my practice, I find it to be so much more. For a healthy body, mind and spirit, it is important to receive and emit energy from where you are situated – each of us has the ability to thrive no matter where we come from and who we are.